Student Involvement [microform] : A Survey of Counseling Psychology Training Programs / Julie Rubin

Research has documented that individuals feel a greater sense of responsibility and commitment to an organization when they are active members in organizational decision making. To investigate the level of student involvement in doctoral level counseling psychology programs, student involvement surveys were completed in the spring of 1983, by 28 students and 33 directors (a response rate of 42 percent) whose program directors were listed as members of the Council of Counseling Psychology Training Programs. The surveys assessed formal and informal mechanisms of involvement; impact, barriers, and current level of satisfaction; and ideal levels of student involvement. An analysis of the results showed that both directors and students conceptualized high levels of student involvement as necessary ingredients of well functioning programs, listing increased morale, satisfaction, and commitment as the organizational rewards of such involvement. However, directors, more than students, perceived student involvement as having greater impact on major decisions made by the faculty. Students reported being significantly less satisfied with their levels of involvement than were directors. Both directors and students described similar ideal levels of student involvement and similar barriers to that involvement in terms of student academic and financial demands. (The Student Involvement Survey is appended). (BL)